Things to do in Sydney

Sydney is the largest and cosmopolitan city located in Australia. The city is considered a major tourist destination and holds the enviable position of being one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is brimming with culture, history, art, and scenic natural landscapes. Visitors can find many scenic spots that are scattered all across the city.

The Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera house are two iconic structures located in the city. Both places present a picturesque spot for photo ops. Various events are held at the Sydney Opera House that offers insights into the cultural aspect of the city. The city also contains lots of skyscrapers with the Sydney Tower towering high above the skyline.

Darling Harbour is another great entertainment spot located in the city. There are a plenty of things to do in Sydney Darling Harbour such as shopping, dining, and passing time at the museums. Other interesting places to visit and things to do in Sydney include Royal Botanic Gardens, La Perouse, Anzac War Memorial, and Luna Park. On the whole, a visit to the city is certainly worth it as it offers lots of fun, excitement, and adventure to the visitors.

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Things to do in Sydney - Cadmans Cottage

Cadman Cottage was built back in 1816 and is one of the oldest residential buildings in Sydney. According to different historians, the house was the first building to be built on the Rocks area and the place got its name from John Cadman, who was convicted for stealing a horse and stayed in the cottage for almost 48 years.

From 1816 till 1845, the building was used for the accommodation of governmental coxswains, then from 1845 to 1864 it served as the Sydney Water Police headquarters, and then as the Sailor’s Home till 1970. The place was handed to the Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority after it was declared a Heritage site. The place is currently used as the information centre for the Sydney Harbor National Parks and a little part has been converted into a museum that you can visit as a tourist.

Cadman Cottage is a great example of being an official colonial building, which is why so many people visit it every year. You can get to the place via the Circular Quay Train Station as the cottage is open from 9.30am till 4.30pm on weekdays and from 10am till 4.30pm on the weekends.

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Things to do in Sydney - Cockatoo Island

Cockatoo Island is located in Sydney Harbour and has the honor of being a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you are travelling to Sydney for the first time, then do pay a visit to this island as there are guided tours, and you can stay the night at the waterfront campground, which will be a great experience for you.

Do visit the Island Bar and enjoy the food there while sitting on the edge of the Sydney Harbour. Other than this, check out the Cockatoo Island Marine Centre. Some of the activities that you can enjoy in the island include going on picnics and BBQs, playing tennis, getting on boat rides, going kayaking, or simply enjoying photography by capturing the scenic beauty of the island.

A number of events take place in the island such as Biennale of Sydney, Cockatoo Island Festival, Cockatoo Island Film Festival, Ken Unsworth Installations, Red Bull X-Fighters World Tour Finale, Sydney Festival, Underbelly Festival, Urs Fischer Installation, and the World's Funniest Island Comedy Festival. The entry to the Cockatoo Island is free and it is open every day, so make sure you visit the place.

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Things to do in Sydney - Sydney Observatory

Sydney Observatory is a popular tourist spot that is located on the Observatory Hill in Sydney. Initially, the place was a fort and the hill was called Windmill Hill. In the 19th century, the place was turned into an observatory and it currently serves as a museum where people have the opportunity to observe stars, constellations, and planets. All this can be done from a telescope that was built in 1874, and is one of the oldest telescopes that are still functional.

The place became famous because it used to drop a ball at 1 pm every day, in order to announce the correct time to the people in the harbor. The observatory is extremely beautiful and is made from sandstone that has been done in Italianate style and is located in the heart of the Rocks.

If you are visiting the place, then it is highly recommended that you check out the exhibitions before going up the tower. The real charm of Sydney Observatory is during night time when you can clearly see the part of the solar system. The place also has a planetarium that shares informative facts about astronomy.

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Things to do in Sydney - Sculpture by the Sea

Australia’s largest outdoor sculpture exhibition, Sculpture by the Sea, is an exhibition held each year in Sydney and Perth at Bondi Beach. It was back in 1996 when this exhibition first started and featured dynamic sculptures from Australian and other artists from around the world.

This exhibition is Australia’s most loved and awaited event. This exhibition is held in spring every year and attracts a massive crowd from within Australia and overseas as well. Local, international, and interstate artists all participate in Sculpture by the Sea and present their extra-ordinary talent to the whole world.
This event is one of the most popular of its kind and it attracts between 450, 000 to 500, 000 people according to an estimate made by Waverley Council. Sculpture by the Sea is a prominent arts event that brings the entire world’s attention to Australia and makes them witness the best of sculpture talent.

What makes Sculpture by the Sea more interesting is the fact that it is held outdoor and at the beach. The visitors can enjoy 2,000 meters of coastal walk from Bondi to Tamarama while acknowledging the art of sculptures and talent from top artists around the world.

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Things to do in Sydney - Government House

Government House is situated in Sydney right next to the Royal Botanic Gardens. This historic site overlooks Sydney Harbor, offering a picturesque view to anyone visiting the site. This Victorian style house was built in 1843 and is considered one of the many interesting and architecturally amusing historical sites in Sydney, Australia.
The construction of this building began in 1837 and was under the supervision of Colonel Barney and colonial architect Mortimer Lewis. Edward Blore, a royal architect, was assigned to the task of creating design plans for the prestigious building.

Government House was built using precious stone, marble, and cedar from various parts of New South Wales. The first resident to move into the house officially was Governor George Gipps in 1845. Before the Governor moved into the building, in 1843, the house was used to organize a ball in the honor of Queen Victoria. At the time when the royal birthday was arranged, the building was not yet completed.

Government House’s design and architecture represents the perfection of the Gothic revival style. The garden area of the house covers about 50,000 square meters. This beautiful house also has a verandah and a front porch.
It was in 1914 that the building was leased to the Commonwealth of Australia and from 1996 to 2013; the building was managed by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales. Today, visitors are welcome to the historic building to witness the amazing architecture and its role as the official residence of the Governor.

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Things to do in Sydney - Cronulla Beach

Cronulla Beach is a patrolled beach in the state of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. This impressive beach is located 26,000 meters south of the Sydney central business district in Sutherland Shire. This beach can be reached by train and is the only beach of its kind. This in particular makes this beach much more interesting for the visitors and is the reason that tourists surround this beach.

Cronulla beach is situated on a peninsula surrounded by Bate Bay to the east, Gunnamatta Bay to the west, Botany Bay to the north, and Port Hacking to the south. This beach is also an attraction for surfers and many surfing schools give lessons on surfing on the beach. The Cronulla Lifesaving Clun and the Cronulla Pavilion are two major buildings located close to the beach. Located off Cronulla Beach is a dangerous reef break known as Shark Island.

The area that lies between Cronulla Beach and North Cronulla Beach is known as the Alley. Visitors can enjoy some shelter from the sun by resting in the beachfront parks. Cronulla Beach is a perfect place to hang out with the family and enjoy food, drinks, surfing, and other water sports activities.

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Things to do in Sydney - Stadium Australia

Built as the main stadium for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Stadium Australia, also known by its official name ANZ Stadium, was the centerpiece of the games at the time. The ANZ Stadium was also a lucky charm for the games as the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games were crowned as the most successful summer games ever held.

This multipurpose stadium was built in March 1999 and is located in the Sydney Olympic Park, in Sydney, Australia. This stadium is called by many names including Telstra Stadium, Olympic Stadium, and Sydney Olympic Stadium.
The ANZ Stadium was built at a cost of 690 million Australian dollars for the 2000 Summer Olympics. The stadium was originally built to host more than 110,000 spectators, but in 2003, the stadium was reconfigured and reduced the number of spectators to 83,500. However, the stadium could now host five professional sports games including AFL, Cricket, Rugby Union, Rugby Code, and Football.

Since the time of its inauguration in 1999, this stadium has become an icon for the country with legends like David Bekham, Ryan Giggls, Jonny Wilkinson, and Alessandro Del Piero playing on the ground. The ANZ Stadium is a famous ground for most prominent sports events including British and Irish Lions Test and the Rugby World Cup.
Apart from major sports events, the stadium is also used as a venue for big concerts from superstars like Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, The Rolling Stones, U2, and Eminem.

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Things to do in Sydney - Nicholson Museum

The Nicholson Museum is Australia’s oldest museum that holds the biggest antiquities collection in all of Southern Hemisphere. This museum is located at the University of Sydney which was founded in 1860. The collection of antiquities is from various parts of the world including Cyprus, Greece, Near East, Egypt, and Italy.

The Nicholson Museum was made from the donations made by Sir Charles Nicholson who was the second chancellor of the Sydney University. Sir Charles Nicholson’s collections of curiosities and antiquities were presented in the museum and since that time, more than eight different curators have helped grow the museum’s collections.Today, the Nicholson Museum comprises of 30,000 artifacts from several parts of the world. This museum provides great insight to those interested in archeology. This museum attracts many collectors and curators across the world, making it one of the most unique Australian cultural institutions.

The museum’s gallery is located in the main quadrangle of the Sydney University. The museum is open to the public. It contains an array of archeological collections including scientific instruments, European art, Italian collection, Near eastern collection, East Asian art, Greek collection, and many more. One of the most interesting and unique collections at the museum is Lego Pompei. This collection is made by Lego builder Ryan McNaught and is a representation of the ancient city of Pompeii in the form of Lego.

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Things to do in Sydney - Capitol Theatre, Sydney

Capitol Theatre, located at 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket is a historic theatre that was once a marketplace for hay in Sydney, which is the reason that the area is known as Haymarket. However, the building that is now a theatre was one used as a vegetable and fruit market known as Belmore Markets. But in 1912, the market was moved and the theatre turned into Wirth Bros’ Hippodrome.

After a few successful years, Wirth Bros’ Hippodrome was unable to function due to the financial instability and was turned into The Capitol Theatre in 1928. Since then, the theatre has become the place of entertainment. The interior of this place was changed and turned into a movie palace by Henry White in 1927 and looks like a piazza or an Italian Garden today.
It was in 1995 that the theatre went under another major reconstruction. It was in 2009 that Capitol Theatre Management Pty Limited became a part of Foundation Entertainment Group Pty Limited. Capitol Theatre has been part of an array of major productions since its inauguration.

The theatre also consists of a suite, peacock room, bar, VIP lounge, and a modern art bar. The shows that you can catch in Capitol Theatre after February include The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Arj Barker, and Aladdin. You can book your seats to these shows by visiting the theatre’s official site.

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Things to do in Sydney - Sydney International Regatta Centre

The famous rowing and canoe sprint venue built for 2000 Summer Olympics, the Sydney International Regatta Centre, is located in Penrith, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. This renowned and outstanding sports arena holds several events and festivals throughout the year. This venue covers an area of 484.327 acres and has earned international acclaim for hosting 825 athletes from 56 countries during the 2000 Olympics.

The Sydney International Regatta Centre has now become an outstanding water adventure park and a venue for corporate and social events. This centre remains heavily occupied with an average of 50,000 visitors every month. Anyone can visit the place from sunrise to sunset depending upon the centre’s bookings. Furthermore, the public can book guided tours of the venue available every day.

The Sydney International Regatta Centre is home to several recreational activities including casual fitness and training, and competitor training. If you are looking to book an event at the venue, you can book one of the many spaces that are suitable for your event. This theatre also holds the Weekend Festival Australia, which is a notable hard dance music event that catches public attention. You can also enjoy an array of other activities at the theatre including fishing, sailing, cycling, kayaking, and much more.

Sydney, located in Australia, is called the Harbor City. Sydney earns the titles of one of the most
beautiful cities to vacation in the world. What does this city have to offer you? — Everything from
history, culture, nature, design, cuisine, art, to fashion! You will not be disappointed at all the things to
do in Sydney. Most of the things to do in Sydney such as tourist attractions can be found in the City
Center.